Materialistic Reality
by solitaryloner
Summary: Greed has a strong grip on the mortal world - so strong that even Hell itself has been tainted by its touch. Mammon lords himself over the humans as the demon they all worship. Nothing can go wrong in his life amongst the mortals...until he plays a game. A risky game where he might end up losing everything he owns. And that risk, of course, is what lures him in the most. PikoXMiku.
1. Chapter 1

_**Solitaryloner: **Okay, I was going to use Len at first...but then, I decided I was writing way too much Len and Miku recently. And anyway, this is a pairing I've always wanted to write about, I just kept forgetting to do so. So yeah._

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Humans are all corrupted creatures. Selfish and greedy, with little care for anything that would not bring them any advantage of some kind. It was because of this selfish materialism that enabled those of their kind to do their work - for to be corrupt was to sin, was it not?

Of course, suffice to say, it was not just the humans who were greedy. As the mortal world progressed, as numerous improvements and advancements were made to human lives, people became more and more greedy. It fed the greed of other creatures, and the corruption of the mortal plane spread to other places as well. Places that were never meant to be as materialistic as the mortal world was.

Humans had a saying, did they not? _Money is the best lawyer one can have in Hell. _And, like most sayings, it had a ring of truth to it. Hell was a place where sinners were tortured, where demons took delight in punishing the wicked. But now, demons wanted more. Demons were no longer content to remain as mere underlings, serving Satan himself...demons all wanted more. So much more.

Money? They had no specific need for money. They wanted other things - fame. Recognition. Power. Control. Especially control...control over their peers, over their whole brethren, over the whole of the Hell domain itself. Demons were, after all, not unthinking creatures. They could be influenced, and as the mortal world became more and more self-centred, more and more greedy...the demons of Hell became likewise.

Demons saw the sinners they punished, the mortals who had done terrible crimes during the span of their human lives. And the demons realised that, despite the punishment these souls received upon their demise, during their lifetimes, they usually enjoyed their wealth. With wealth came power and respect...and that wealth came solely through greed. If it were not for greed, there would be no fortune.

Upon death, these corrupted mortals suffered - but then, demons were different. After all, demons could not die. True, they could be severely punished by those more powerful than they were, but they could not die, unlike humans. So, if they were capable of amassing such privilege, like humans did, without getting caught...wouldn't their eternal lives be so much more pleasant, then? A life of luxury...

Demons were not suppose to hanker after material goods. Demons were supposed to punish the corrupt sinners of Hell. But then, how could anyone blame demons for being misled and influenced by those they tortured? Demons were not idiots, and when they saw how all these corrupted mortals enjoyed their lives before their deaths...could one fault the demons for wanting to enjoy such privileges, as well?

Demons were better than humans, anyway. They were more powerful, and they had long lives - in fact, one could even say that demons were immortal. So why didn't the demons go up onto the surface, masquerading as mortals, and amass wealth? Demons didn't want the money, actually - they wanted power. But if money could provide power in the human world, the demons would then begin to amass fortunes.

In Hell, Satan was the king. The most powerful, the ruler of Hell. There was no way any demon could possibly hope to overthrow the king of Hell, so instead, one by one they went to the mortal world. A world where they would be powerful, instead of weak. A world where the humans looked up to them, since they were the ones with money...and slowly, the demons became corrupted. Like the sinners of Hell.

Demons had always been pure beings. They resided in Hell, and were known as torturers - but they were pure. They had no desire for material gains. But then, if they lived in the mortal world where material goods made them kings, then throwing aside their supposed purity was nothing to them. Like humans, demons hankered after money...the torturers became just like the sinners they punished.

But then, it wasn't really their fault, was it? Perhaps in part. But if the mortal world hadn't become as greedy and wanting as it was now, then the demons would never have succumbed to material greed. It was because of the sinners that demons now fell prey to the domain of Mammon, that they now tried to do better than even Satan himself. This new-found demon greed was solely because of the mortals...

At least, that was what all the demons told themselves, so they could feel a little better.

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''Go away,'' he drawled, cutting his visitor a glare so fierce that the grass surrounding her literally withered, turning yellow and dried. The woman, however, remained coolly unaffected. Actually, it annoyed him a little. Maybe he was spending too much time in the mortal world...so much that other demons lost respect for him?

Sure. He was powerful and respected, and very rich in the human world - and of course, that made him feel good about himself. But in the demon world, despite how most demons were now as corrupted as humans themselves were...in the demon world, money and material wealth meant absolutely nothing. What demons respected was power and lethality. True demons only respected what they feared...

It was difficult to make demons fear something. Demons were, after all, demons - there were few things which could weaken them, let alone kill them. ''I'm here to make a bet with you,'' the woman was calm, despite the bleak look he was shooting her. ''I hope that you will at least hear me out before you send me on my way...after all, you are very well-known for your willingness to make bets for entertainment.''

He found himself becoming intrigued. ''A bet, you say?'' he paused. ''Very well. Come in, then - let's see whether you can pique my interest enough to make me play,'' he gave her a crooked smile, a smile that didn't reach his eyes. The woman didn't react in any noticeable way to his smile, but he was fine with that - he didn't want to frighten the lesser demon off. Like she just said...bets were always fun.

''What do you seek of me, Luka?'' he asked, as he ushered the pink haired woman in. She glided gracefully past him, past ornate double doors - his mansion on the human plane was a luxurious one, since up here, he had money to burn. Humans knew him as one of the most affluent men of the continent, but in truth...he was no mere man. A corner of his lips tilted up into a smirk as he thought of their ignorance.

''What I seek of you?'' she asked. Luka was a very beautiful demoness, while in her human form - tall, lithe, shapely. Long, flowing pink hair, cool blue eyes and a flawlessly lovely face - she exuded an icy cold aura, an aura of 'look, but don't touch'. He wasn't interested in her type, though...she was too perfect for him. Too distant and unfeeling. He preferred his women warm and soft. His tongue flicked out a little.

Luka apparently noticed. ''Let's keep your mind off women for a moment or two, shall we?'' she asked tactfully, making her way to a nearby couch and settling herself upon it. He sighed, but knew that he ought to think of business now, so slowly he sat opposite the demoness. Luka's blue eyes regarded him as he sank into the soft velvet seat, and he stared back at her, their gazes clashing in a steely battle of wills.

He won, and her blue eyes flicked away from him for a brief moment - it was brief, but he didn't miss it, and he knew that it indicated a sign of momentary weakness. ''What do you want?'' he asked, letting his voice become flat and toneless. His expression smoothed out as well, becoming inscrutable. If there was one thing he was good at, it was maintaining his poker face, at remaining detached and cool.

''A bet...'' she started, but then a knock sounded, and she paused. Both sets of eyes flicked to the doorway of the living room, and there stood a curvy blonde, her long hair unkempt and loose around her slender waist. He scowled a little, wondering who she was and how she had managed to get into his mansion - this was not one of his housekeepers. It didn't even happen to be someone whom he found familiar.

''You left me alone in your bed,'' the woman pouted, her words seemingly targeted at him. He blinked, still struggling to recall who this woman was...really, how had she gotten into his mansion? And what was she saying about a bed, and...oh. Oh. He remembered now. She was the blonde he had picked up in the bar last night...well, his excuse was that he had been drunk. Strangely, demons could get drunk too.

Did he have sex with her last night? He couldn't remember...but he knew himself well. He was not one to turn down a woman. Especially not if she was in his bed, was hot...and was naked. Especially not if she was naked. ''Ah, well, I apologise,'' he shot her a charming grin. ''I was in a hurry, since I have a visitor, as you may see...'' he waved his hand at Luka, who was gaping at the blonde. ''I'll talk to you later?''

The blonde cut Luka a sharp look, then her eyes softened as she glanced back at him. ''I'll be waiting for you,'' she said suggestively, blowing him a kiss and walking off. He watched the sway of her hips hungrily, as she walked out of the room - pity he wasn't able to remember anything about last night. With that kind of figure? It must have been some really hot sex...not that he could recall last night at all.

''Are you really so desperate that you have to resort to sleeping around with human women?'' Luka's voice, filled with light amusement, rang through the room and yanked him out of his thoughts. He felt his lips curve into a frown at the jibe - it wasn't really so much about being desperate. Was it wrong to want to experiment a little, to try out different varieties of women? Experimentation was healthy, after all.

''I'm not desperate,'' he retorted, his tone coming out as a little sharper than intended. He struggled to get back his usual cool detachment. ''You don't know how rough you demonesses can be. Clawing, scratching, wanting more...it's hot,'' he admitted, ''but sometimes, I get tired of having to literally fight for dominance, you know. Is it a crime to sleep with someone who won't try to shred the skin off my back?''

Luka rolled her eyes. ''You're just a wimp for being unable to withstand the clawing. We're demons, you should be used to it,'' her blue eyes travelled slowly across his body as he leant back in his armchair, and her lips tilted up. ''Of course, I wouldn't mind you being a wimp...because, if I recall correctly, you're a very skilled wimp,'' she breathed, crossing her legs. Her short skirt slid back, revealing bare skin.

Tempting. But he wasn't going to take up on her offer. He had other things to do with his time. ''The bet, Luka,'' he reminded her, getting a little annoyed by the rate at which things were progressing. The beautiful demoness blinked, as though she had completely forgotten about the reason why she was here, but then slight realisation lit her eyes. She smiled, folding her arms across her chest as she stared at him.

''You are a demon High Lord,'' she stated, her intense gaze never leaving his. ''One of the demons who tempt humans, convincing the wicked to fall into traps of their own devise. And sometimes, out of boredom, you convince the pure to sin as well, so that you can alleviate your boredom a little,'' she paused. He raised an eyebrow, wondering where she was going with all this. It sounded rather...interesting.

''I found a mortal,'' Luka's words gushed out in one huge flood. ''A mortal I bet that even you, a demonic High Lord of Hell, will be unable to corrupt. In this tainted world of mortals, she is an innocent, someone who knows not of the wicked ways of Man. So here is my bet with you. I bet that you will be unable to twist the mortal and convince her to sin, within one month. And I'm rather sure I will win.''

He linked his fingers together, placing them under his chin. ''That's an interesting bet,'' he conceded, his eyes narrowing slightly. ''What will I get if I win the bet then, Luka? Like you have said, I am a demonic High Lord. There are few things that will interest me enough to make me bet on them, and what you offer me will have to be something rare...something I cannot get for myself...something of use.''

''If you win, then I will give you myself as a servant to command,'' came the instant reply. He blinked, a little startled, before a slow smile crept across his face. Luka was not a weak demon, though she wasn't of High Lord status - it would be fun, to force someone so proud and mighty to be his servant. He gave the matter some thought, and finally decided that it was an interesting enough offer to tempt him.

''Very well. Then, if you are the one to win - which I greatly doubt will happen - then what do I have to give to you in return?'' he was rather sure that, whatever it was, it would be something he would be able to give up. There were many things he owned, on this plane - Luka could have her pick of them. Honestly, he didn't care much for material objects - what he cared for was intangible. Respect. Power.

''Give me your full name,'' Luka said softly, and he froze, the unexpected request taking him aback. His full name? Instantly, his eyes narrowed at the other demon - to know the true name of a particular demon was to have complete command over him. It was many a demon's dream to know the name of a High Lord - the High Lords were very powerful, and to have one strictly under their control...

Luka's request made sense, in retrospect. He reconsidered, wondering whether he ought to agree to such a bet. What if he lost? Then he would have to give up his name to Luka...and that would be embarrassing. To have a lesser demon exercising full control over him. Then again...what were the chances that he would lose? He was not inexperienced when it came to corrupting mortals. Besides, he was bored.

''Very well. I agree to your little bet,'' he finally said, his voice deathly quiet. At his words, Luka threw back her head and moaned softly, feeling the promise of their bet and its terms linking her to him - and obviously, she would feel good about the linking. Bet linking brought an intense surge of power few could resist. As long as the bet remained incomplete, their link would hold - so Luka would know if he had managed to win. Demon bets were very binding, in that way.

Bets between demons worked the same way as contracts between humans and demons. A binding promise...and should either demon lose the bet, they would lose what they promised immediately. He gritted his teeth at the thought - now that he had agreed to this game, he was not going to lose, no matter what. Luka raised her right hand, and he glanced down at his own left hand - there was a black hourglass there.

An hourglass, imprinted onto the back of his hand...because of the bet. ''One month,'' Luka smiled, tapping at her right hand. ''One month, and if you fail, then one of the High Lords will come under my control,'' Luka sighed, shaking her head in what seemed to be mock sorrow. ''You shouldn't have agreed, you know,'' she said slowly. ''It's a game you'll surely lose. The pains of boredom, and what it forces you to do...''

''Whatever,'' he rolled his eyes, confident of his ability to win the bet. After all, he had never once lost a bet before, not with any demon - and he wasn't going to break that trend now. ''You're done now, aren't you? So...'' he rose from his chair. ''I'd appreciate it if you would make yourself scarce. I have many other things to see to,'' his eyes flicked away from her, in the direction of the doorway. ''I won't be seeing you out then,'' he added, rather distracted.

Luka rolled her eyes as well, rising from the couch. ''The girl's name is Miku Hatsune. I'll text you her picture later,'' he didn't bother asking her how she knew his human number. Most of the demons did. ''And I'm sure that you'll have no problems finding her...now, you'll just have to make her as corrupted as all other humans are. I'll be looking for you at the end of one month...good luck, High Lord of Greed. Piko.''

With those parting words, the pink haired demoness disappeared from the room, and Piko yawned, stretching languidly. The High Lord of Greed...he was more commonly known as Mammon, and he tempted and seduced mortals into falling prey to Greed. The sin that he held sway over. His lips tilted into a smirk - convince a human to fall prey to greed? That would be easy...especially since he was Mammon.

He had plenty of time on his hands, and he was almost assured of his success. Mammon - his real name was Piko Utatane - got greedy easily. He was the one who tortured sinners who had fallen prey to his vice...and because of that, he had been the first to realise that, while alive, corrupted humans enjoyed life the most. Greedy mortals enjoyed their lives even more than their pious, upright counterparts did.

They enjoyed their lives so much...just because they had money. Wealth. With all that wealth, they were powerful in the mortal realm...all because they had money, which was something Piko didn't care for. So, since he was the demon of Greed, why didn't he retreat to the mortal world, get a fortune of his own, and be given the semi-worship that humans granted wealthy men? And that was exactly what he did.

He pretended he was a human...and, by using his looks and charm, as well as some of his demonic powers, he had conned and cheated greedy men out of their money. Setting himself up as a legitimate businessman...when underneath, he was actually no more than a conman. A demonic one - a demon who posed as a human. With his money, people had looked up to him, wanting to be closer to him...

It was much better than down in Hell. In Hell, he was one High Lord out of many - he was feared and revered in Hell, but on the mortal plane he was practically worshipped. And to tell the truth? He actually rather liked the feeling of being worshipped. Then again, who wouldn't? So he chose to spend more of his time in the mortal plane, rather than in the Hell realm. Other demons followed his example.

It was a corrupt world the mortals lived in. Who was there to say that Hell wasn't corrupt, as well? Demons would do anything to claw their way up the power hierarchy...but then, such a thing was impossible to do in Hell. There were too many demons in Hell, too many powerful beings to overthrow. So in the end, demons resorted to coming to the mortal world, so they could lord themselves over the humans.

Piko sighed. He enjoyed this world. Here, he had wealth, power and privilege. Women threw themselves at him...not that this didn't happen in Hell, but he preferred mortal women, somehow. Demonesses were violent and rough, and Piko preferred the softer, more helpless touch of a mortal woman. There wasn't any reason for him to leave the mortal world and return to the Hell dimension, was there?

Speaking of mortal women, there was one in his room now. Blond, just as he liked his women. He started out of the room, but then he recalled Luka's bet - slight curiosity rolled through him. Should he make preparations, and try to finish the bet as soon as possible? The hourglass tattoo remained on his left hand, reminding him that he only had one month...and if he failed, he would have to give up his name. Along with that, his freedom and power.

He would lose all that to Luka, who would be able to command him using his true name. The demoness seemed rather sure that she would win - after all, if she was not certain, she would not have come to make such a bet with him. But Piko forced himself to relax - he was the demon of Greed. Corrupting humans, and forcing them to fall prey to his own vice, was something he was supposed to be an expert at.

If he failed in doing something so simple, it would be...laughable. Piko shrugged gracefully, pushing the insidious thought aside. It would be easy to win, and when he won, he would have Luka as a personal servant. And the first thing he would get Luka to do was...well, he would think about that later. For now, he had a mortal woman waiting in his bed for him, and there was no need to think about anything else.

At least, not for the time being.

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_**Solitaryloner: **Sexy Piko is sexy. I actually way prefer his more mature, grown-up self over his shota self...he's sexier when he's older looking. Which makes him a lot like Len, I suppose._


	2. Chapter 2

He blinked up at the ceiling, his mind as blank as the white wall. He could feel the deep scratch marks on his back burning, but he ignored them - they didn't hurt as much as the ones female demons could inflict on his poor back.

The blonde was lying next to him, her head propped up on her fist as she stared hard at him. He ignored her, closing his eyes as he thought quietly to himself. As usual, the hazy satisfaction that came with sex didn't last long enough to please him - and no matter how many rounds he went for, the short rush of exhilaration would never be enough for him. It was rather a pity he wasn't Asmodeus, then.

Lucky Asmodeus was always getting laid. Him, on the other hand? Unlike Asmodeus, he couldn't just crook a finger and have women falling all over themselves, struggling to get to him. He had to work a little to get laid - at the very least, he had to walk up to the woman and find out her name. Asmodeus didn't even have to do that, since practically all women wanted to shag the demonic High Lord of Lust. As always.

Piko couldn't help feeling a little envious...but then, as Greed, he was king in the mortal world. Surprisingly, more people fell prey to Greed than to Lust...for Lust was only a subset of Greed, was it not? Lust was a greed, a craving for carnal pleasures. So in a way, Lust was lesser than him. Piko felt his lips curving up into a smirk at that - he was good at reassuring himself. At making himself feel better.

He felt slender fingers trailing across his back, tracing the scratch wounds - he knew the marks would fade in an hour or so. He healed quickly. ''You know, you're very good,'' came her husky murmur, her finger still tracing patterns across his skin. Piko arched an eyebrow - to tell the truth, he had completely no idea who this woman was. He couldn't even recall her name. Not that he would tell her that little fact.

He reached behind him, grabbing her wandering hand, before he turned around, shooting her a dazzling grin. It was a grin that had caused many a woman to swoon and collapse before, and it had a similar effect upon this woman - he felt her tremble slightly against him. ''I know I'm good,'' he purred, tilting his head languidly. ''But I can be even better,'' he yawned, his eyes closing again. ''On another day, maybe.''

Her violet eyes lit up with interest. ''Really now?'' she asked. He tensed - he hadn't exactly meant for her to take his words as a challenge. Or as an offer. ''Prove that you can be better, then,'' she crooned, her full lips tilting up into a seductive smile. He remained unmoved, though - she was beautiful, for a mortal. But he never really had any affections for these women. After all, how could he possibly love any of them?

He was a demon. They were only humans. And, as humans, they were here to satisfy him. But he didn't need to return their feelings, nor did he have to satisfy their desires - so long as he was pleased, why did he have to care about anything else? No demon would ever deign themselves to love a mortal. It was beneath their stations - demons were far superior to humans, in the end. All demons knew that.

And anyway, as demons, they didn't love. Love? Let the angels love, if they wished - love was a foolish emotion, and no demon would ever fall in love. Love weakened people, affecting their ability to make good judgements. Love made most people do ridiculous things - and in return, these people would receive nothing. Love was an emotion meant solely for weaklings, and the whole world ought to know about that.

''Perhaps,'' he answered, choosing to evade the question. To tell the truth, he doubted he would ever seek out this particular mortal, not ever again. That was how Piko used his women. They were here for a one-night-stand, and once the physical gratification was all over, he left them alone. Forever. That was the way of most demons...the way of any demon who would ever willingly choose to sleep with a human.

Secretly, he was relieved that he would never have to face this woman again, not after today. She was a scratcher...he didn't like scratchers much. They tended to hurt. Piko stretched, his hand reaching up to knead at his sore shoulders - the scratch marks throbbed a little under his fingers, but he chose to ignore the soreness. Compared to demonesses, this mortal woman had already been considerably gentle.

Sliding himself out of bed, he began to slip his clothes back on. His clothes were hanging on the back of a chair - Piko would never allow his clothes to rest on the floor, no matter how desperate he was for sex at the moment. ''I'll see you out,'' he turned his head a little, his gaze clashing with the blonde's violet one. ''And maybe, one day I'll call you. I think you gave me your number last night,'' he smiled. _All lies._

Her small smile widened. ''All right then,'' she agreed meekly, sliding out of bed as well. He took a moment to admire her naked body, but then he tore his eyes away. He wasn't going to see her again, and anyway, there would be other women. Other women with figures even better than this one, no doubt. The woman's tiny smirk never left her face, even as she put her clothes back on. He thought he knew why.

He had seen her type before. Gold diggers, that was what the mortals called her kind. Women who flirted and slept around with rich men, hoping that they would be able to score themselves a wealthy husband - or, at least, be able to achieve the position of being their mistresses. So that they could have a ready source of money, available to them whenever they needed some cash. He sighed softly.

Clearly, this woman thought that she had successfully managed to catch his attention. Too bad for her that he just wasn't interested. He would never be more than just attracted to someone who was his subject - for, after all, such women were victims of Greed. And thus, they were his victims as well, were they not? His subjects...and he was their lord and ruler. How could he possibly be interested, then?

No matter how beautiful such women were. To fall for a mortal, and a greedy one at that? It would be like a king falling in love with one of his own slaves - ridiculous and embarrassing. While he waited for her to hurry up and put her shirt on, he heard a small chime as the phone on his dresser received a message. Blinking, Piko reached out to the phone, swiping his finger across the screen as he unlocked it.

It was a strange sight, no doubt, to see a silver haired, ancient demon using a piece of modern technology. To tell the truth, when Piko had first come to the human world, he had been a little overwhelmed by everything around him. Of course, he had come to the mortal surface before, but never for so long a period. It had taken him a while to get used to all the strange technology. Now, it was easy for him to use.

Piko had first settled in the land of men a decade ago. He made occasional trips back to Hell, but he preferred to stay in this world of greed and corruption. It suited him, somehow. This plane of glitz and glamour, a realm where people worshipped him, simply because he had money. It was a message from Luka, and he arched an eyebrow, interested - it was most probably the picture of his latest victim.

He opened the message, and a picture filled his screen. Piko studied the new picture, taking in the details of his latest target - it was a girl. A young woman, perhaps in her early twenties...she couldn't be any older than twenty-three. In this picture, she was smiling brightly with another man, not that it was a man he knew. Her boyfriend, perhaps? She had long, straight teal hair, and vibrant emerald green eyes.

Even in the digital picture, those eyes seemed to glow with a youthful vitality and innocence that Piko hadn't seen in anyone, not in a long while. She was very pretty, though a little on the slim side - pity for him. Piko preferred his women curvy, though slender. This girl had the figure of...well, a girl. There wasn't really anything much to look at - other than her eyes, there was nothing truly special or memorable about her.

His phone chimed again, and Piko took a look at the new message. It was again from Luka. _Her name is Miku Hatsune, and she's twenty-one years old, _he read silently. _The man in the picture is her cousin, and he's very protective of her, so you might want to be careful when you approach her. I trust you can find her by yourself. Remember, you have one month to win the bet - corrupt her. If you can._

If he could? There was no question about it - he could twist anyone around his little finger, and this girl would probably fall prey to him as well. He went back to the picture, taking a closer look at the picture - ah, he saw it now. He could see the resemblance between the two...even if she was teal haired, and the man was blond. Piko tilted his head, wondering whether he ought to start on this bet as soon as possible.

''I'm done,'' the blonde's voice rang out, making him blink. He turned around, seeing that she was back in her clothes - tight, revealing black top, as well as a very, very short red skirt. Her blond hair draped over her shoulders as she placed a hand on her waist, cocking her hip. Piko's tongue flicked out, running hungrily against his lips - but then he decided if he really wanted sex, he could find another woman.

''I'll show you the way out,'' he drawled, running his fingers through his chin length silver hair. His eyes went back to the picture - the girl's face beamed brightly up at him, her eyes filled with an almost childlike innocence. He couldn't help becoming intrigued by such naivety - was she really as innocent as her eyes claimed her to be? Either way, he would look forward to carrying out this little bet, that he knew.

He shot the blonde a glance. He was going to have to get out of his room anyway, to show her out of his house - he wanted to make sure that she would really leave, and not linger around inside his mansion. Some of the women he brought back had done that before, and he didn't want a repeat of that. Since he had to walk anyway, he might as well go to the city, and see if he could find this Miku Hatsune.

Corrupting this girl was going to be fun.

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Miku Hatsune resisted the urge to break down into tears. She kicked savagely at the pebble in her way, watching it roll down the pavement. Even then, she couldn't get rid of the sense of desperation welling up within her - what was she supposed to do now? She was homeless.

She could always call her cousin, she supposed. But...Len was probably busy...he worked as a part-time model, and at the same time, he studied in the prestigious music college in the city. Miku studied in the same college, but unlike Len she didn't live in the dormitories there. She was beginning to wish she had done the same thing as Len, and chosen to stay on the campus...why hadn't she done that?

Because she had found the fees expensive, so she had decided to seek alternative housing. Well, great. Now she had no roof over her head - and Len couldn't exactly help her, seeing that he didn't have a house of his own. The school probably wouldn't approve of her staying in the boys' dormitories, even if Len happened to be her cousin. And anyway, she didn't want to burden Len with her problems. Again.

Her phone buzzed then, and she glanced at the screen, her bulky luggage rolling to a stop next to her. _Len Kagamine, _the phone proclaimed proudly, and she swallowed. _Well. Speak of the Devil, and the Devil will come. _Hesitantly, she accepted the call, preparing herself for an intense questioning which would probably put the police to shame. Len Kagamine, model and musician, was very protective of his cousin.

''Where the hell are you?'' Len demanded, not bothering with any pleasantries. ''I've been trying to reach you the whole day, but your damn phone was turned off. And when I went to see your landlord, he said you had an angry fit about nothing in particular, packed up and left the house. And you haven't even stayed for the whole month yet. What the hell, Miku! Why did you just leave like that? Where are you?''

Miku broke out into a fresh round of sobs, and she heard Len cough slightly. ''Are you okay?'' her cousin's angry tone softened slightly as she sobbed into the phone. ''Look, tell me where you are now. I just finished my latest shoot, so I can find you. And when I see you, you're going to tell me exactly what the hell is going on, okay?'' he said fiercely. ''Miku?'' he added, when she did nothing other than cry some more.

She sniffled out her agreement, telling him where she was at the moment. Then she hung up. Dejectedly, she walked over to a nearby bench - she was near the main entrance of the city's largest park, and no one was paying her any attention. She was just another idiotic girl, crying her heart out, towing her luggage along after her. Miku hiccuped, knowing that she had to stop crying. All this was just so stupid.

It seemed like scarcely moments later when she heard the quick patter of footsteps, and Len came into view, his handsome face wearing a look of concern. He saw the tears streaking down her face, and instantly he sat on the bench next to her, his arm wrapping tightly around her shoulders. Miku leant against him, crying some more - but now, her tears were more of frustration, rather than sadness like earlier.

''There, there,'' Len murmured, his blond hair tickling her face a little as she hiccuped into his chest - he had left his hair down, and it reached his shoulders in its untied state. ''Tell me what happened,'' he drew back from her, his hands gripping her shoulders firmly. ''It's not like you to just have fits for no reason. And why did you move away from your apartment? I thought you and your landlord got along perfectly fine.''

''He...he...'' she bit her lip, frustrated, reaching up to wipe her tears away. Why was she crying? None of this was even her fault. ''He peeped at me in the shower!'' she exploded. Len tensed, his cerulean blue eyes narrowing at her words. ''He's been doing it for a really long time, and I knew...but I never did catch him. And anyway, I didn't want to move out. But this time, I caught him peeping, and I couldn't take it anymore.''

''I'm going to go back there now and murder the bastard,'' Len's tone was dark, his blue eyes searching hers. ''Why didn't you tell me this before?'' he demanded. ''He was peeping at you...you should have said something, and not just sucked it up like that!'' his blue eyes closed, and he shook his head. ''Lodging is not worth your modesty,'' he told her tersely, ''and you should have left long before this, Miku.''

''I know,'' she muttered. ''But...the rent was so cheap, and the apartment was so near our college, so I didn't want to move. And I didn't want to trouble you either, since you're always so busy,'' she glanced away from him. ''But today was the last straw. I opened the door, and there he was, staring right into the keyhole. He wasn't even ashamed of himself,'' she gritted her teeth. ''He just kept on staring!''

''Bastard,'' Len seethed. He hugged her tight, and Miku sighed, leaning her chin against his shoulder. ''What are you going to do now, then?'' he asked, his intense blue eyes regarding her closely. ''I mean...I would love to help you, Miku, but I can't put you up in my room. The college would kick me out for doing such a thing. How are you going to find lodging at such a short notice?'' his voice was filled with worry.

Len had always been protective of her. They were close, as cousins, and as children they had been the best of friends. Miku sometimes felt that Len was even more protective of her than he was of his twin sister, Rin Kagamine. Rin was tough, and she had a no-nonsense attitude about everything - Rin was someone who most certainly did not require protection of any sort. Len tended to mother Miku quite a bit.

''I don't know,'' Miku sighed. ''I guess I'll go put up at a youth hostel or something, for now. Or maybe at an hotel. Just for this one night...or two...then I'll start looking for more affordable lodging,'' she stared up at him, biting nervously on her lower lip. ''Actually...I don't really have any money now,'' she told her cousin. ''So I was wondering whether you could lend me some? I'll definitely pay you back,'' she promised.

Miku's job didn't give her very much, by way of salary. She spent the majority of her money on her school fees, and the rest on rental. She kept some money aside for food and transportation. But then, because of the peeping incident, she had left the apartment before the month was up. Her landlord had refused to give her the rest of her rent back, claiming that this was a breach of their contract. So now, she was penniless.

Without any hesitation, Len took out his wallet, pressing a whole wad of bills into her hand. Miku's eyes widened - that was a lot of money. ''I don't need so much -'' she began to protest, but Len placed a slender finger against her lips, shushing her. His other hand gently closed her fingers over the cash, and Miku glanced down at the money in her hand. That was more money than she could make in an entire month.

Len's family was rich, but she didn't know he had brought so much money along with him. ''I have no lack of cash,'' he told her. ''And you know it. Go and pay for a room in the best hotel in the city - I don't want you hurt, nor do I want you to suffer. Is that understood?'' he stared at her intently, and she felt a little...odd, with the way he was staring at her. ''You're my cousin, and I want you to be always safe and happy.''

''But...'' she protested again, feebly - it would take her a long time to pay all this back, she knew. Especially since she didn't earn that much, what with her job as a part-time waiter in a nearby cafe. Unlike Len, who had had no problems finding a job as a model, Miku was not extremely attractive, and she hadn't dared to search for a modelling job - she knew she would be rejected, and that would crush her.

Miku didn't take rejection very well - she had a ridiculously low self-esteem, as it was. ''Don't worry about the money,'' was what Len said, knowing that she would say something about the loan. ''You don't have to pay me back. We're family, after all. But stay somewhere you won't have to suffer. I don't want you to try and save money - go and find somewhere you can stay in luxury. Somewhere safe...safe for you.''

Len was ridiculously stubborn, and she knew that no amount of arguing was going to change his mind. So instead, she nodded meekly, having half a mind to lie to Len and look for the shabbiest hotel around - but she knew that Len would search for her, to make sure that she kept to her promise. Still, it seemed like such a waste...splurging all this money on a luxury hotel. Did luxury really matter all that much?

Len's phone rang, and he glanced away from her, pressing his phone to his ear. ''Hello?'' he listened. ''Oh...okay, sure, I'll be there as soon as I can. Give me half an hour,'' he hung up, staring back at her. ''My boss asked me whether I could take over for a model who just called in sick, so...I have to go now,'' he leant forward, kissing her on the cheek. ''Remember what I said, Miku - don't scrimp and save this time.''

Then, her blond cousin rose from the bench, walking away from her. Leaving her alone. Miku sighed dejectedly, feeling even more depressed now that Len was gone. The money remained in her grasp, and she idly placed it in her bag, not wanting to lose all that cash. Scrimp and save? She didn't always do that...did she? But wasn't it better to save money where she could? It wasn't like she needed luxury or comfort.

Rising from the bench, she towed her luggage along, intending to make her way out of the park - it was late afternoon, and she wanted to find somewhere to stay before dinnertime. Miku wondered whether she should keep her promise to Len, and find somewhere high-class and luxurious to stay - even if such comforts made her feel slightly uncomfortable. Or should she just look for some place cheap?

Then she wouldn't have to spend unnecessary money...she was so lost in her thoughts as she walked that, without noticing, she walked right into someone. The other person grunted, stumbling back, and Miku's head snapped up, her gaze clashing with his. The man was holding on to a mobile phone, and he appeared to have been studying it prior to their collision. Her eyes widened as she stared at him.

He looked young, this man she had walked into. Definitely no older than she herself was. He had silver hair - it made her wonder if he had dyed it. That silver hair looked soft and silky, hanging around his face, reaching down to his chin. His eyes were dual coloured - his left eye was a vivid, bright green. A beautiful green that reminded her of summer leaves. His other eye was blue, the same blue as Len's eyes.

He was startlingly handsome - as handsome as her cousin was. And she knew of few men who were as unnaturally flawless as Len was, which spoke for how attractive this stranger was. He was taller than her, and she knew that despite his lean frame, he was muscular - she had been able to feel the hardness of his frame when she had walked into him, earlier. The stranger cocked his head, studying her intently.

Miku remembered that she had just walked right into him, and she had yet to apologise for that. ''Ah, I'm sorry!'' she cried out, clutching on tightly to her luggage. ''I wasn't looking where I was going just now...I apologise!'' she bowed a little, feeling embarrassed as he watched her. All of a sudden, a smile curved his full lips - a stunningly gorgeous smile that no doubt caused many a woman to become weak-kneed.

''That's fine, no harm was done,'' he answered, and her eyes widened further at the sound of his voice - his voice was a silken croon, a voice so soft and velvet that it seemed to wrap gently around her, embracing her tightly. Making her feel heady. ''My name is Piko Yowane,'' he tilted his head, still smiling. ''What's your name?''

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_**Solitaryloner: **__You know, it's been a really long time since I last posted a new story and got only one review for it. Not trying to sound whiny here, but really, I know that people read this story, so I would appreciate some advice, comments or anything you might want to say about my story. Reviews really do make me feel happier, and it doesn't take that long to leave a simple comment. I'm hoping I can get a few more reviews for this chapter, at least._

_To my only reviewer, Lafiel Nightray - thank you for reading and commenting on this story! Yes, I agree that Piko is incredibly sexy when he's being...sexy. I love this guy...pity he doesn't get as much attention as the rest of the Vocaloids..._


	3. Chapter 3

_**Solitaryloner: **__Wow. Fantastic baby. Okay, now guess what song I'm listening to right now. It's not Vocaloid, to provide a little hint._

_On an unimportant note, this song totally does not match the seriousness of this story. I really should stop listening to it, but it's so addictive. Even though it's not that recent a song...I keep playing it on loop. It's stuck in my head._

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''- so I have no roof over my head right now, and I was wondering whether I should do what my cousin said, and find a luxurious hotel...''

Miku was rambling, sitting on a park bench. The nice man she had bumped into - Piko Yowane was his name - was listening to her patiently while she poured forth all of her troubles. She knew she was probably boring him with her stupid life story, but she couldn't seem to stop talking about herself and her problems. He was so nice and supportive, even though he was a complete stranger. Piko now tilted his head.

''Well, it appears that your cousin really does care for you,'' he pointed out, his voice smooth and silken. He was a very attractive man, she couldn't help noticing that again. ''If you don't want him to worry for you, then you should do as he says. It would make him concerned if you were to put up at some cheap, third-rate hotel. The same incident might repeat itself,'' he told her, his dual-coloured eyes gravely serious.

Miku swallowed. ''I know,'' she hedged, rather cautious. ''But then...I'm not sure,'' she let out a sigh. ''It's not worth it, don't you think?'' she asked, looking up at him again. ''I mean, so long as we have a roof over our heads, and food in our stomachs...is there really a need for us to spend money on all these luxuries? As long as it's good enough for us to live comfortably...''

Something, some sort of emotion, seemed to flit across Piko's face, but she couldn't identify what it was. It looked like...dissatisfaction, but she wasn't sure. Why would he be dissatisfied with what she just said? ''Of course, Miku,'' he said smoothly. ''You're right. You're a very wise girl,'' he smiled, showing off his perfect white teeth. ''Perhaps I could learn more from you.''

She fidgeted, not used to being called wise or the like. Most people - even Len, the person who was kindest to her - claimed that she was a bit of an...airhead. Or said that she was too gullible, and everyone would make use of her. ''Thank you?'' she stuttered out, blushing a little. It felt good to be complimented, she admitted that. ''You're a very nice person, um...'' she paused. What should she address him as?

Piko alone seemed too friendly. They were only strangers, and it might be offensive if she called him only by his first name. But Mr Yowane was so...stuffy. She didn't know what to say. He just grinned. ''Call me Piko,'' he said easily, taking that problem right out of her hands. ''And I am not very nice, Miku,'' he tilted his head. ''Only to pretty girls like yourself,'' he added, his eyes gleaming. She wondered if he was kidding.

''Ah...I'm not pretty...'' she looked down, at her lap. ''And I think you're nice. You sat here and listened to me ranting about my boring life,'' she smiled up at him. ''That makes you pretty patient, at least,'' she fiddled with the hem of her skirt. ''Piko,'' she said hesitantly, changing the topic, ''I don't know anything about you...what do you do for a living?'' she asked.

''Me?'' he seemed startled. A small smile curved his lips. ''Nothing much,'' he said simply, which confused her a little. ''I'm one of those people who make a living by doing nothing. It's quite boring at times, but I couldn't imagine having any other life...'' his gaze turned unfocused. She wondered what he was thinking about. What did he mean by, he did nothing? But that was not possible. To do nothing at all. Was it?

''I invest in properties,'' he finally said, noticing the blank look on her face. His gaze returned to her - she couldn't look away from those intense eyes. It was the first time she had ever come across someone with dual-coloured eyes. There was a term for that, wasn't there? A scientific name, not that she remembered what it was. She never had liked science much. ''Properties are a fail-safe way to make money, you see.''

''Oh...'' she nodded, thinking to herself. So Piko was a property mogul, then? ''Then how many properties do you own?'' she asked. ''Of your own, that is,'' she added, ''Not the kind meant for investment.'' He seemed to think for a while, and she just waited for his answer, staring at him. She wanted to know more about him. He seemed like a nice person - it would be good to make a new friend here. She was...new here.

She and Len both had left their old home town, coming all the way here to attend college. The college they both went to was prestigious - they studied music in it. Theory and Practical both. Len and Miku both had majors in Vocalism - in other words, they sang - but instrument-wise, Miku preferred the piano, while Len was fond of the guitar. Len had no problems making friends, since he was so friendly and good-looking.

Miku was shy and meek, so she was mostly invisible in her class. She had a few friends, here and there, but most of the time she found that she was quite alone. She didn't mind the solitude, but she did wish that sometimes, she had a slightly bigger social circle. Len, unlike her, always had friends around him. She was grateful enough if someone even came up to talk to her. She was nothing compared to Len.

''A few,'' Piko finally said, jerking her out of her thoughts. His reply was vague, and she frowned a little. ''It's not that important. Hey, it's almost lunch-time...'' he looked down, checking the watch on his wrist. Miku noticed it was a Rolex watch, and she wondered how wealthy he was. ''Want to grab a bite together?'' he smiled. He had a very charming smile. Miku nodded.

They rose from the bench. Piko was holding on to her luggage, at his own insistence, though Miku had protested against it. He led them all the way out of the park, in the direction of the city, Miku trailing helplessly after him - she had not been here for very long, and she still got lost in these parts sometimes. She was from a remote little town, a place few people had even heard of, and seeing all these people now...

It confused her greatly. She was still unused to the hustle and bustle of metropolitan life - here, everyone always seemed to be in a rush to get somewhere. No one ever slowed down to look at what was around them. To appreciate what they had. She missed the slow pace of her old home town. Idly, she wondered how her whole family was doing. Especially her little brother.

Mikuo, her brother, was a year younger than her. She didn't see him very much - he was a very intelligent boy, and when he was a child, he had won some kind of prestigious award. Or was it a scholarship? She couldn't quite recall. Either way, he went overseas to study, and she missed him greatly. He rarely came home to visit them, though he wrote back frequently.

Actually, he would video message her, and he would write back to their parents, since their parents were old-fashioned and didn't believe in technology. Miku blinked, rousing herself from her reverie - she ought to pay attention to her surroundings. Piko had stopped walking, and he was looking expectantly at her. Had he asked her a question? She was just standing here.

He would probably think she was an airhead, just like everyone else...''I'm sorry, did you say something?'' she asked sheepishly. ''I wasn't paying attention,'' her eyes drifted away from him, to the building they were standing before. _Le Petit Cheval, _she read the sign. It sounded posh. What were they doing here? Where were they? Was this a restaurant of some sort?

He just smiled patiently. ''Don't worry, I zone out all the time too,'' he answered. ''I just asked you if you were comfortable with eating here. It's one of my favourite lunch spots,'' he tilted his head. ''If you don't want to eat here, we could always go and eat some place else,'' he added, those dual-coloured eyes piercing her.

''Oh, I don't mind anything, really!'' the words automatically slipped out. ''It's up to you,'' she glanced at the door of the restaurant. She could see inside the building, through a small window in the door - it seemed to be rather luxurious. Everyone inside was wearing some kind of formal wear. Hesitantly, she looked down at her own simple shirt-and-skirt ensemble.

''Then let's go in,'' he seemed to be completely oblivious to her slight discomfort. He pushed the door open, towing her luggage along behind him, and she sighed, following him. Already, she was wondering how expensive this place would be. She knew that a restaurant with these kind of formal settings would not be cheap. Hopefully, it would be within her limited budget. Though she doubted that, for some reason.

A waiter came to them, then stopped at the sight of Piko. ''Oh, Mr Yowane! What a surprise,'' the waiter said smoothly. ''Do you want your special table, as always?'' Piko just nodded, and the waiter bowed, allowing him to walk past. Miku followed him, feeling uncomfortable, and the waiter's eyes lingered curiously upon her as she went after Piko. Piko led her to the very back of the restaurant. Everyone was looking.

They were all looking at her, their expressions curious. She felt so out of place. All the patrons of this restaurant were dressed so well - only she and Piko were in casual wear. But Piko was clearly different from the rest of the clientèle here. This was probably the kind of place which required advance booking or something, yet he could just waltz in and get seated at his own special table. She wondered how rich he was.

The waiter, who was also following Piko, went ahead of the silver haired man, towards a red velvet curtain. Quickly, he swept the curtain aside, allowing Piko and Miku to pass through. Miku swallowed, not quite willing to walk to...wherever was beyond. She had never been to a place so luxurious before. The atmosphere here screamed decadence and wealth. It was all quite unnerving for her. She didn't like this.

They were in a small room. The velvet curtain behind them muffled the sounds from the rest of the place, keeping them in their own little bubble of peace and quiet. There was a table in the very middle of the room, with two chairs. The waiter - wait, when had he gotten hold of her luggage? - set her belongings at one side of the room, then moved over to the chairs, pulling them out so that they could sit. Miku blinked.

No, she definitely wasn't used to this. Len was. She wasn't. He was from a rich family, unlike her - she felt fortunate enough to be able to afford three square meals a day, let alone eat at such a...fine establishment. Piko was likely to be as wealthy as Len was, at the very least. Most probably more so, since even Len was not subject to preferential treatment in such places. Really, who was the man sitting opposite her?

''Aren't you going to sit?'' came his voice, forcing her out of her thoughts. Miku shook her head sharply, her lips tilting up into a small smile. She sat, facing Piko, nodding at the waiter as she did so. The waiter smiled back briefly, before he turned his attention to Piko. Her new acquaintance looked bored. ''What do you wish to recommend today?'' he drawled languidly, tapping his fingers against his wineglass.

The waiter started rattling off a long list of fine foods and delicacies. Miku lost interest after the first three seconds - she didn't recognise any of the foods the waiter was talking about. But Piko glanced across at her, noticing her green eyes were glazed over, and tried to draw her into the conversation. Miku just nodded whenever he looked at her, and that seemed to suffice for him. At least she didn't have to say anything.

''...and what will the lady have?'' the waiter suddenly turned to face her. Miku shot up in her chair, panicking. He was speaking to her, to _her, _and she didn't know what to say! What had he even asked her? She had just been staring at her empty wineglass, wondering how she would pay for this meal. It would probably cost her more than what she could make in a week. At least she had some money. Only for now.

Piko saw how awkward she was, and came to her rescue. ''Why don't you just give us the menu first, and we'll state our orders later?'' he smiled at the waiter. The waiter simply nodded, handing two small black booklets to the pair, then turned and left their private room. Piko smirked, handing one of the booklets to the girl. She looked somewhat relieved, now that the man had finally left the room. How amusing.

''You should pay attention to your surroundings more, you know,'' he said evenly. The slender tealette ducked her head, her cheeks flaming. Probably because she knew she was in the wrong. What did he know of human behaviour? He was not human, after all. ''If you don't listen when others talk to you, you're going to miss out on important things. And drifting off all the time will annoy most people, sometimes.''

''I know,'' she sighed. ''It's a bad habit. Sorry. My mother used to say that I had the attention span of a goldfish,'' she laughed, opening the menu as she did so. She had a nice laugh, he noticed. It was sweet and vibrant, ringing with proof of her innocence. ''Or maybe she said I have the memory of a goldfish. I'm not sure. It could be either one, really,'' her gaze went down to the menu. ''Everything is so expensive here...''

Piko glanced down at his own menu - not that he had to bother. He always ordered the same thing here, anyway. Demons were not too fond of eating human food, since...well, in general, demons did not need such sustenance. Usually, if Piko had no choice but to eat something in the mortal realm, he usually ate steaks, as rare as he could get them. The only food-related items Piko liked usually had some alcohol in them.

He ran his gaze down the list of prices written on the menu. Perhaps the price ranges here _were _a little steep for the average human. He found it quite reasonable, but what did he know? To him, everything was affordable. He didn't know what it was like, to have to hold an actual job to make a living. Demons were not like mortals. Money was worth nothing...

Power was all they needed. Money was just pieces of worthless paper, to them. He didn't understand the mentality of some people, to tell the truth. Why waste all their youth and time scrimping and saving? It wasn't like they could bring their amassed fortunes with them to the grave. Wouldn't it be better to spend their money on comfort and luxury, while they lived? Humans were incredibly strange creatures.

He was a prime example of someone who spent the moment he earned. Not that he had to care, since he was _Mammon, _the High Lord of Greed. He could get money any time he wanted. This restaurant was one he frequented, because he knew that only those who were considered to be exceptionally rich could ever have a chance to dine here. It was all for his image. The more wealthy he seemed, the more he was adored.

''What will you have?'' he asked, lifting his gaze from the menu. Miku was biting on her lower lip, a faint look of worry on her face. He took this moment, while she was distracted, to look closely at her - she was quite a lovely creature, he found. Still wasn't his type, but he could say that she was...stunning. If only she was less childish-looking. He liked it when his women had curves. She was more child than adult.

Too skinny for his tastes...Piko shrugged a little, to himself. Well, it wasn't like his objective here was to get her into bed with him. All he had to do was convince her to sin. It would be easy enough, to make her fall to the vice of Greed. Or at least, it ought to be simple. He had never failed before, when it came to temptation. It was so easy to promise the world. Every single human had some kind of selfish wish. Or two.

It would just take a little probing, a little poking around here and there, and he was certain he would find her weakness. She had to have a desire of some sort. A greedy desire...for what? Wealth? Love? Beauty? Not that she needed the last one. He could provide her with anything she wanted, he was capable of gifting her with her wildest dreams. So long as he had an inkling of what she sought...a tiny clue was enough.

Piko personally preferred to deal with wishes involving money and material goods, rather than anything else. Want and lust for money formed the very basis of Greed - greed for food would fall to Beelzebub, High Lord of Gluttony. Greed for sex would fall to Asmodeus, High Lord of Lust. He wasn't allowed to meddle in these two realms, so he couldn't affect those. But he could tamper with anything else he wanted.

''Me?'' she smiled weakly, meeting his gaze. ''I...I'll just have the orange juice,'' she muttered, closing the menu and setting it aside. He tilted his head - why, wasn't she hungry? Suddenly, it dawned upon him...she probably couldn't pay for most of the main courses in this place. How unfortunate for her. Luckily, he was in a rather charitable mood today - besides, he had to slowly work his way into her good graces.

Conveniently, at this moment, their waiter came back into the room. Piko glanced up, meeting his eyes - at once, the man walked over to them, his pen and notepad at the ready. Piko eyed Miku again. The tealette just continued smiling, though he saw that her smile was a little strained. She really wasn't comfortable in this place, he could tell. ''Give the both of us orange juice,'' he told the waiter. ''As well as two of this set...'' he pointed at the menu.

Miku's eyes widened, and she sat up in her chair, ready to protest. But Piko looked at her, just _looked, _and she shut her mouth, suddenly unable to say a single word. There was just something about those eyes...something she couldn't seem to stand up against. ''I'll have my steak rare, as always,'' he murmured. ''As for her...'' he appraised her. ''Make it a medium.''

The waiter nodded, then swept away, off to give their order to the kitchen. Miku fiddled uneasily with the napkin on the table - how was she supposed to pay for all that? She had seen how much all the sets cost, here. It was way out of her budget. Maybe she could borrow some money from Piko, and then she would pay him back slowly...but she already owed Len quite a sum. She wasn't sure if she could handle this -

''Don't worry,'' Piko's voice cut across her inner thoughts. ''I'll pay for you. You don't have to worry about the cost,'' his smile was blinding. He was just so good-looking. ''We're friends, aren't we?'' he asked her, lacing his fingers together, propping his hands under his chin. Miku swallowed. Were they friends? She had bumped into him, and they talked, but...

In the end, she slowly nodded. She didn't want to offend him in any way. Besides, he was very kind, and he would definitely be a good friend to have. She needed someone to talk to, so that she didn't have to rely on Len for every single tiny thing. She clung to her cousin a lot, she knew. He had never said anything about it, but she was sure she annoyed him, somehow.

The rest of the meal was spent in total silence. Even when the waiter came with their drinks, and later on with their steaks, Miku and Piko stayed quiet, simply focusing on their food. Though Miku couldn't help staring at Piko's steak, when it arrived - it was so...bloody. She knew he had asked for it to be rare, but this looked practically raw. He broke the silence then, when he noticed her gawking at him.

''Is there something wrong?'' he asked, his fork poised right above the slab of meat. His knife was already dripping with red. Feeling rather queasy, Miku averted her eyes. Piko followed her gaze, and a light smirk flitted across his face. When he smirked like that, it made him look devilishly handsome. She couldn't stop herself from noticing how attractive he was.

''No...it's just...you like your steaks that raw?'' she asked, swallowing nervously. He simply shrugged, cutting into the meat. Hastily, she dropped her gaze to her own meal. She didn't want to look anymore - Miku had never liked the sight of blood. It didn't matter what blood it was. The very thought of the red liquid made her feel ill. ''I've never seen someone who ate their steak so...rare before. It's very strange.''

''I'm used to it,'' came the reply. ''I was raised on semi-uncooked food,'' she wasn't sure if he was being serious or not. ''Anyway...'' he set his cutlery down, attracting her attention again, ''I was thinking about your problem. You said you had to search for some place to stay, right?'' he looked questioning. Hesitantly, Miku nodded. ''I think I might be able to help you with that.''

She paid close attention to him, eager. ''Really? Do you know of somewhere I can put up at? I'll be ever so grateful!'' she chirped, trying hard to suppress her excitement. Piko nodded slowly, a distant look entering his dual-coloured eyes. He seemed to be assessing her - or, at least, that was the feeling he was giving her. Like he was judging her, seeing whether or not she was worthy of his...information. But surely not...?

''If you want, you can stay in my home, for the time being,'' he finally uttered, causing her eyes to widen in shock. ''I have no shortage of empty rooms, and I won't charge you any rent. You're free to drop by any time you want to,'' calmly, he went back to his steak. ''I feel sorry for your plight,'' he added before she could question him. ''And if I can help you...then why not, right?''

''I...'' she was at a loss for words. ''It's very kind of you to offer such a thing,'' she finally said, ''but I'm not sure if I should accept! I mean, if you don't charge me rent, I would feel terrible! Your kindness shouldn't be taken advantage of, and I would honestly feel more comfortable if I could pay for my lodging. So...I would like to take up your offer, but it's best that I do not.''

Inwardly, she was berating herself for passing up on such an excellent offer - he really was so kind. But her morals didn't allow her to do this. She couldn't just make use of their friendship to get free lodging. She was brought up on the principle that she had to pay for everything she used, and that there was no such thing as a free lunch. Sure, it would be great for her finances, but the guilt that followed was not worth it.

To her surprise, he just inclined his head. She had expected him to be a little angry, since she did not agree to his offer. ''Actually, Miku,'' came his soft voice, ''you can pay me however much you want, so long as it makes you happy. I have no need for the extra money, after all. Just pay me what you have to, whatever makes you comfortable. Take however long you want to think about it, but come to a decision soon.''

''Why?'' she couldn't stop herself from asking. ''Are you letting out your available rooms to other people as well?'' again, Piko just looked at her - a simple look, with no emotion behind it at all, but with that one glance, she felt so..._stupid. _Had she said something wrong? There was something about his eyes...a certain steeliness to his gaze which made him difficult to resist. It was rather unnerving, actually. Those eyes.

''No,'' he said slowly. ''It's just that you'll have to decide soon, or you'll have nowhere to sleep tonight,'' at once, she felt like an idiot. Why hadn't she thought of that? ''We still have our dessert, after this,'' Piko waved casually at his half-eaten steak. ''Take your time, and tell me what you want after that, all right? I have all the time in the world to wait, but I'm afraid you don't...why, are you suspicious of me, Miku?''

''No,'' well, yes. Maybe a little. She didn't know him very well, after all. ''I just...I need to think, that's all. I'll tell you after we finish our food,'' she finally said, hesitant. He nodded in response to that, an almost satisfied smirk crossing his face. She wondered why he was so willing to help her. Maybe he was a guardian angel or something. Miku believed in the existence of angels and demons, but she hadn't expected to meet one in real life. If he was one, of course.

Somehow, the way he looked at her, from beneath those long eyelashes...why did she feel like she had no choice but to agree, anyway?

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_**Solitaryloner: **__Oh wow, look, I haven't touched this in a while. Anyway, I hope to get reviews for this! It might be a strange couple, and I know the chapter is really boring, but please give this little baby a chance~!_


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